232 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [October r, 1888. 
one for the producer, the price of -quinine, and 
consequently of all cinchona products, having fallen 
to the lowest known limits. The increase in the 
crop from Ceylon, where the growers were pre- 
paring to plant tea, is held unaccountable. 
The decline of the sugar industry in British colo- 
nies continued to hamper the emigration agencies 
working in Calcutta. Only three British colonies, 
Demerara, Trinidad, and Fiji and the Dutch colony 
of Surinam indented for labourers in the past 
year. In Jamaica immigration has been entirely 
suspended ; the prospects of sugar manufacture in 
Natal show no sign of improvement, and in St. 
Lucia were so bad that some of the central fac- 
tories will be forced to abandon operations. In 
the latter colony the Indian coolies suffered se- 
verely from malarial diseases and want of work 
but the authorities refused to sanction the depar- 
ture of labourers no longer under indenture to 
Panama where high wages, which have attracted 
large numbers of immigrants from Jamaica, are 
paid on the canal work. 
For railways the year was one of consolidation 
and completion rather than of new work, only 62 
miles of new line having been opened for traffic, 
principally on the Assam, Behar, and Tirhoot 
system.— H. 4 0, Mail. 
ASSAM AND ITS TEA GARDENS. 
The report of the administration of Assam for tbe 
past year illustrates the theory of the survival of 
the fittest. While the amount of land under tea cul- 
tivation is increasing the number of gardens is de- 
creasing, owing to amalgamation and other influences. 
The average size of the Assam gardens is increas- 
ing year by year, showing combination among owners 
or more capital, and the small cultivators are dis- 
appearing. There were 883 gardens in 1886 and 873 
in 1887, although new gardens were opened during 
the latter year. Even more was done in previous 
years to amalgamate gardens with a view to 
economy and convenience of working. The 
total area under tea cultivation in 1887 was 950,171 
acres — an increase of 16,037 acres over 1886. In 1882 
the area of the gardens was 783,362 acres. These figures 
represent the arecas held by the tea planters, and either 
not yet worked at all, or in one or other of the 
various stages between jungle and productive and 
saying tea garden. The area under mature plants last 
year was 177,90u acres, and under immature 33,179. 
The area under mature plants increases steadily in 
Assam; in 1882 it was 156,707 acres, 1885 159,876. 
The total tea production of the province for 1887 is 
given at 68,451,130 lb. an increase of 6,731,502 lb. or 
10 91 per cent, over 1886, and more than double the 
production of 1885. According to the figures of the 
Indian Tea Association, Assam produced 74'89 per 
cent, of the whole crop of Indian tea in 1887. The 
yield per acre for the whole province was 385 lb. for 
the year, as compared with 363 lb. in 1886. The 
tendency of the cost of production is to decrease 
with the improved communications and methods 
of cultivation and manufacture. More is ob- 
tained from the soil at less cost, it is handled 
more cheaply and effectually, and reaches the consumer 
by more economical communications. The price is 
now lower than it ever was before, yet the plauters 
are d)ing fairly well as regards profits. The explana- 
tion is that the tea can now be turned out for less 
than was possible a few years ago. The use of machinery 
of an improved character is now largely extended, 
while freight and cost of transport are much less. 
The coolies are growing older and more skilled in 
their work, and can do more, and far better, than 
they could when raw hands. The Indian Tea Asso- 
ciation estimate that Assam will produce 70,975,8841b. 
(Lie year, out of a total Indian crop of Do, 829,3121b. 
The Government Java Cooffee Crop, this 
year, is estimated at 545,000 piculs. Most of it has 
already been garnered This result is an agreeable 
surprise. The contrary had been counted upon. — 
Straits Times, Sept. 5th. 
The Importation of coffee plants into Tonquin 
has been prohibited, the object of this masures 
being to prevent the introduction of the coffee plant 
disease. — Hongkong Daily Press, Aug. 30th. 
Tobacco. — It is interesting to note the gradua[ly 
extending field of selection of Tobacco lands in British 
North Borneo. At first Sandakan and Marudu Bay, 
then the Sugut and Labuk Bivers and Darvel Bay, 
followed by the Segama and now the Kinabatangan. 
The last, the largest river in the territory, must 
have a large extent of suitable land for Tobacco 
on its banks and the means of transport afforded 
by its broad stream will be a strong point in favour 
of an inspection and possible selection. All these 
districts belong to the East Coast. Who will 
pioneer the way for selections on the West Coast ? 
Prices for Tobacco have, so far, ruled somewhat 
low but already a rise has been noted and the 
reason alleged for the previous low rates is said to 
be owing to want of competition from American 
buyers. The crop of Tobacco for 1888 from 
Sumatra is estimated at 200,000 bales as against 
180,000 bales in 1887.— We hear that Mr. J. van 
Gogh who applied for a concession of 10,000 acres of 
land on the Segaliud River on the 6th March last has 
since sold his concession to a Company for 115,000 
guiders, say over $50,000 In other words Mr. van 
Gogh has made a profit of over $40,000 in less than 
five months. The choice of the land was due to 
the making of a road trace from the Segaliud to 
Kinabatangan which enabled the Commissioner of 
Lands to take Mr. van Gogh and his skilled To- 
bacco planter, Mr. Merchistein of Deli, straight to 
the block and Mr. Merchistein promptly made the 
selection which has already been attended with 
such happy results to the lucky purchaser. We 
learn that Mr. van der Hoeven has already formed a 
Company to take up his concessions of land on 
the Labuk River and has received a sum of 60,000 
guilders in cash and 120,000 guilders in shares. 
This is good business. Mr. van der Hoeven is ex- 
pected out shortly to commence planting operations. 
— British North Borneo Herald, Aug. 1st. 
Tobacco Prospects. — The following report is 
of interest to Ceylon tobacco planters. It is from 
Consul Robinson, Amsterdam, to the Marquis of Salis. 
bury. — "The tobacco trade during 1887 was large, 
brisk, and profitable. Our market has become more 
and more the principal one in Europe, in consequence 
of the excellent quality of the Sumatra tobacco, which 
is sought for here by buyers from all parts of the 
world, and especially by tbe American cigar manu- 
facturers, and of the large amounts of Dutch capital 
invested in the plantations of Sumatra, Java, and 
Borneo, the extent of which is daily increasing. The 
crop of 1886 was the largest hitherto known. Sumatra 
sent to Holland in 1887 138,000 bales, value £2,6ii0,000, 
as compared with 125,000 bales, value £2,300,000, in 
1886. North America alone purchased for £1,160,000. 
Prices slightly improved, partly in consequence of the 
demand for the finer qualities for cigar-making, for 
which extra rates, were paid. The measure taken 
by the English Government, fixing 35 per cent, as the 
limit of water to be added by the tobacco manu- 
facturers, was a severe blow to the sale to England 
of Java tobacco, the absorptive power of which is 
very great. Borneo is now beginning to send some 
tobacco of excellent quality, and the produce of 
British North Borneo is now looked forward to with 
much interest. The dividends of the more important 
Sumatra tobacco companies were again very high — 
the Deli Company 109 per cent, per annum, and the 
Arendsburg Company 169 per cent." 
